Homeschooling - SUPPORT GROUP

[HighStreetCoop]

I have a question about supplemental homeschooling. Both of my parents worked to make ends meet so homeschooling was not an option. I had a lot of problems in school, so my parents supplemented my education during their free time. Before my sister and I reached kindergarten we had already been taught to read, Is pent weekends and summers going over educational things by my mom. So the question is, has anyone here done this? Supplemented what the school did not do? I am considering doing the same for my own children, if and when i have children. It seems like a good way to be flexible with time when free time is so limited in our lives, while keeping an eye on the education of one's children.

This was the norm in my house growing up. I'm always shocked that many people seem to rely entirely on the school. I went to really good public schools, but we always had some kind of extra circular supplement going on at home (sometimes related to what was being covered at school, sometimes totally separate). Dinner conversation often centered around the topic. And there were library trips, museums, historical location trips, etc. School covered the " three Rs" just fine, but my parents covered the stuff that makes that "three Rs" interesting, LOL!

 

[Anna6]

When a child recognizes they are having a more difficult time . . that can also be the open door for the child to help in finding solutions. My son is more willing to fore go breads as he functions better without; and he is more willing to take his special vitamins and green tea as that also helps. He and I are finding solutions together.

Have a great year!!

Thank you for your kind words but unfortunately it is not that kind of issue that it can be resolved.

 

[MeepBeep]

While I admire the lesser paperwork for the IIllinois home schooling, I would like to know how employers and colleges work around this??

The same way they deal with any home school I suppose... Most colleges have home school admittance rules and procedures since there is no national standard, as for private employers well, they are sure to have all their own policies as well, but I doubt many will refuse to honor an Illinois home school diploma because the home schooling laws of Illinois differ from other States... If there is ever that big of a problem I suppose they could get a GED or college degree...

From experience though you would be amazed at how lenient most companies really are on the high school diploma thing (even the college diploma thing in many instances) it's mostly taken on honesty of your word... Very few actually verify with any scrutiny, and how could they in the big picture as in many instances private schools don't have the same level of record keeping especially when they go out of business or move around from location to location...

 

[oldrooster]

Quote:The same way they deal with any home school I suppose... Most colleges have home school admittance rules and procedures since there is no national standard, as for private employers well, they are sure to have all their own policies as well, but I doubt many will refuse to honor an Illinois home school diploma because the home schooling laws of Illinois differ from other States... If there is ever that big of a problem I suppose they could get a GED or college degree...

From experience though you would be amazed at how lenient most companies really are on the high school diploma thing (even the college diploma thing in many instances) it's mostly taken on honesty of your word... Very few actually verify with any scrutiny, and how could they in the big picture as in many instances private schools don't have the same level of record keeping especially when they go out of business or move around from location to location...

I got an AS in Accounting after several years out of HS and I was shocked on how easy some of the JR college classes where, I didn't do well in HS because I simply didn't care, more than likely I would have been a 4-5 A to 1-2 B each term if I had tried. I would have to think if it was that easy for me being out of school for 10 years, if some kid whom was home schooled and went straight to a JR college for a general studies, business (any sort accounting, business management, office management) or some sort of general degree like that couldn't test out of most classes and get a AS or AA degree and not worry if someone didn't like the home or state high school diploma (or even a GED).

 

[DMRippy]

I was the Admin Asst in the Admissions office for a local private college. Each college will have their own rules. I can't remember them all. I know there was an age requirement for some things. Like if you were 24 you may have only had to submit a HS transcript BUT if you had 30 hrs of college we didn't need your HS unless you needed it for a pre-req for some programs. We didn't have any different rule for Homeschool kids really. They had to have the GPA and the ACT or SAT min score to be admitted. The ACT and SAT really show that you learned the material in school. We had a min GPA and a min ACT score if you were under 24. Over 24 and no college was kinda a loophole if I remember..... you didn't have to submit ANYTHING you were just admitted. Each college will publish their admission policy in the catalog and you can hold them to what is published. It was all we used in admissions. I kept the catalog in my drawer to double check to see if everything had been submitted for admission and then I would send those to the Dir for review and I would send the letters out.

Some colleges are very easy to get into, we rarely sent rejection letters. Usually it was because of GPA's.

The best course is to get as much college under your belt as you can. Here we have dual enrollment and High School students with the right GPA can enroll in college credit courses for FREE at most colleges. You might have to have a recommendation from your Guidance Counselor or someone else maybe for homeschoolers. You just have to buy books. Usually you can only get 3-9 credit hours a year (one class a semester including summer) and only some lower level classes, upper level class have to be approved by an adviser at the college.

 

[KristyHall]

This was the norm in my house growing up. I'm always shocked that many people seem to rely entirely on the school. I went to really good public schools, but we always had some kind of extra circular supplement going on at home (sometimes related to what was being covered at school, sometimes totally separate). Dinner conversation often centered around the topic. And there were library trips, museums, historical location trips, etc. School covered the " three Rs" just fine, but my parents covered the stuff that makes that "three Rs" interesting, LOL!

If my parents had relied on the school i would have never gotten as far. I have a disability in English and math. The school frequently stuck me in the back of the class instead of bothering with me. My mother had me working on these things in my free time. I am a hundred times better with my sentence structure, though I am s till not the best at it. Hours and hours of going over home mail ordered math courses over the summer is the only way I was able to keep up in school. I went from remedial 6th grade math in 9th grade to college prep courses in 11th grade thanks to the home courses and one teach who showed up an hour early every morning to go over my math homework with me before class started. I was also very fortunate to have a mother with a bachelors in computer science and mathematics. While my school did great in some things, like having an excellent honors biology program in which I excelled, it was not great in others, like handling a dyslexic impatient girl like me who would learn fractions and instantly forget how to do them the next day because she kept transposing the numbers (me). I still do not know how to work fractions other than the basics. Anyhow, I would not be great at full homeschooling, but I would love to do summer education and continued education with my children one day.

 

[Arielle]

I was the Admin Asst in the Admissions office for a local private college. Each college will have their own rules. I can't remember them all. I know there was an age requirement for some things. Like if you were 24 you may have only had to submit a HS transcript BUT if you had 30 hrs of college we didn't need your HS unless you needed it for a pre-req for some programs. We didn't have any different rule for Homeschool kids really. They had to have the GPA and the ACT or SAT min score to be admitted. The ACT and SAT really show that you learned the material in school. We had a min GPA and a min ACT score if you were under 24. Over 24 and no college was kinda a loophole if I remember..... you didn't have to submit ANYTHING you were just admitted. Each college will publish their admission policy in the catalog and you can hold them to what is published. It was all we used in admissions. I kept the catalog in my drawer to double check to see if everything had been submitted for admission and then I would send those to the Dir for review and I would send the letters out.

Some colleges are very easy to get into, we rarely sent rejection letters. Usually it was because of GPA's.

The best course is to get as much college under your belt as you can. Here we have dual enrollment and High School students with the right GPA can enroll in college credit courses for FREE at most colleges. You might have to have a recommendation from your Guidance Counselor or someone else maybe for homeschoolers. You just have to buy books. Usually you can only get 3-9 credit hours a year (one class a semester including summer) and only some lower level classes, upper level class have to be approved by an adviser at the college.

Very interesting. I remember so many hoops to jump thru to get into college. Glad there are policies in place to make sure our kids get college that are home schooled.

 

[Arielle]

Quote: Sorry--

 

[KristyHall]

This is what I am currently doing. As another poster said, learning is everywhere. I personally make time for my kids and hang out with other families that also value such learning opportunities. Meaning we take time to help our children learn. ANd take them places to learn more, or take the time to explain, or fill in information they do not know yet.

This past Monday was the last day for the Magna Carter in our area. DH didn't think it was worth going and I put my foot down; he already mixed an opportunity to meet Jane GOodall in person and I was NOT letting his ho-hum thinking get in the way this time. So for the cost of gas, tolls, and an adult admission, we waited an hour and a quarter in line to see this "boring" paper, lol; my son's evaluation of the plain document. In Latin too, so less interesting. It should have been the culmination of studying a document that was the basis for the English BIll of RIghts and the American constitution as well, of which a copy was also on display. This was more interesting as the kids could actually read the words !! Never the less, it is a jumping off point for future conversations about American History and how what happens today depends on what our forefathers started. Change is slow . . very slow.

My kids do not have spelling so I will continue with the Shostak books and vocabtest.com-- for grades 6 and above.

Stone Soup is a fun book for small children and then make the soup! Cooking in the kitchen is great for fractions and understanding measurements. Even if it is brownies!! We have made many batches of brownies-- the first time was standing on a chair and dumping in the ingredients that I had measured out and stirring. About all a 3 and 4 year old could do; today they read the recipes and multiply the recipe if needed.

My youngest would still like to see BLue Man Group. Music is educational too. Blue Man group would be a bit of a change after seeing Lion King the musical.

As you can see I just supplement my kids education; but honestly, the kids really do need support to do well in the public schools, too. I don't depend on the teachers as my kid is one of too many.

Oh... oh man I would have been so disappointed if I were you about missing Jane Goodall! I remember stone soup from when i was a kid. I loved that book! IT sounded so tasty and after reading the book i would always fall asleep dreaming of how rich and meaty the soup must have tasted like.

We have been talking about fostering, once works tops dragging him all over the world so much. It is another reason why I am doing a bit of loose research on home schooling. That and over the summer I nearly ended up being the guardian of one of my 8 year old cousins. (While I would have loved to care for her, I am relieved that one of my much more experienced sisters was able to take her. She has much more space and has fostered children with disabilities in the past) She has learning disabilities and it had me thinking seriously about education and how unprepared I would be when I do begin to foster/have children.

Funny thing about what you said in learning science with cooking. I actually have stacks and stacks of books on the science behind cooking, from chemistry reactions to mathematical physics and gastronomy. I also have books on the science of raising livestock, botany. bio-mes, and genetics. People forget just how much math and science you use in something as simple as making an omelet, or planting a row of corn.

I have seen the blue man group! It was very clean and a lot of fun. At the end of the show they had music playing, asked everyone to dance, and threw HUGE lightweight balls into the crowd to be batted around. It is more than music, it is performance theater with humorous skits and a lot of playing with visual affects. Your kids would have a blast at that show. It encourages audience interaction and had a general sense of fun.

Thank you for the encouragement.

 

[Arielle]

Kristy-- I didnt know hwat I was in for whan I had kids. As my older brother says, if he had told the truth I would not have had kids. Raising kids well is hard work. Fortunately I have always had my time taken up with animals so that was a double blessing. I could read body language and voice and understood training dogs , horses, and seals. THe second part was I was used to giving up my time for another being.

Not prepared for many things though. I have a college education but to "teach" is a different skill. I tried one thing and if it didnt work, tried a different approach. THe training of a horse required breaking down the steps into baby steps and I used that process AND lots of time to figure out the steps based on the abilities of my son.

THe school has changed its focus. One son has weekly spelling words ( 12 words) and the other has monthly spelling words. THe spelling words will get loaded into SpellingCity.com so they can play with the words . . . .even a word search requires looking at the order of the letters; word scramble is harder as a set of letters are presented but no clue as to the word at all; same difficulty with hangmouse , a version of hangman . . . My oldest also made two cards for each word using a cut up file folder. THese are great for playing matching, Go Fish, and quizzing for spelling. Making these cards is something I started when the boys were in kindergarten and first grade to make learning FUN FUN FUN.

Question for everyone-- does anyone use childrens magazines to introduce ideas? Like National Geographic kids?? We started with this one and now my kids read the full sized National Geographic magazine.